PR001734 (Project)

Description:Longitudinal gut-axes of animals show spatial heterogeneity of microbiota related to physiological differentiation. Plant roots show functional heterogeneity in cellular architecture, transcriptome, metabolic states, and immunity. We hypothesized that axial differentiation impacts spatial colonization by rhizobiota along the root axis. We developed two growth systems, ArtSoil and CD-Rhizotrons, to dissect Arabidopsis thaliana roots into three segments. We identified distinct rhizobiota communities in the segments, supporting spatial microbiota differentiation along the axis. Root metabolite profiling revealed differential enrichment and specificity. Correlation analyses point to strong reliance of rhizobiota on carbohydrate supply from the host. Bioinformatic analyses and GUS histochemistry indicate sugar and/or microbe-induced accumulation of SWEET2, 4, and 12 sugar uniporters. Profiling of root-segments in sweet mutants showed impaired spatial rhizobiota arrangement. Correlation analysis revealed complex interconnected metabolite-rhizobiota networks. This work uncovers interdependency between root physiology and microbiota colonization and a contribution of SWEETs to shaping local adaptation of root microbiota.